Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $3,439 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $5,269 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $7,099 in Brissago, rent included.

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Brissago sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Brissago by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$28.99 CHF 23.57

-72.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$125 CHF 102

-61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$15.90 CHF 12.93

-40.75%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$7.03 CHF 5.71

-58.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,754

$6.48 CHF 5.27

-71.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$7.16 CHF 5.83

-79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$9.00 CHF 7.32

-64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$8.12 CHF 6.61

-29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$3.12 CHF 2.53

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$3.37 CHF 2.74

-49.55%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$7.84 CHF 6.37

-63.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

$25.38 CHF 20.63

-60.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$29.91 CHF 24.32

-66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$39.53 CHF 32.14

-64.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.06 CHF 3.30

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$2.11 CHF 1.72

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$2.71 CHF 2.20

-20.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$4.74 CHF 3.86

-51.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$1.69 CHF 1.37

18.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-28.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

$2.34 CHF 1.90

-48.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$1.36 CHF 1.11

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$11.49 CHF 9.34

-66.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$12.43 CHF 10.11

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$2.94 CHF 2.39

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

$4.20 CHF 3.42

-70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

$115 CHF 93.4

-32.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

$8.35 CHF 6.79

-84.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

$4.64 CHF 3.77

-53.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

$110 CHF 89.3

-92.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$2.40 CHF 1.95

-43.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K COP 84.8M

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

-36.72%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.5K COP 112.8M

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

-10.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 COP 521.0K

$284 CHF 231

-40.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$28.87 CHF 23.48

-53.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$57.1 CHF 46.46

-50.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

$80.3 CHF 65.3

-43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

$51.5 CHF 41.83

-66.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$24.32 CHF 19.77

-72.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$803 COP 2.5M

$3,193 CHF 2,596

-74.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

-71.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

$142 CHF 115

-38.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

$162 CHF 132

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

$200 CHF 163

-48.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,599 CHF 1,300

-33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,439 CHF 1,170

-54.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$3,039 CHF 2,471

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,282 CHF 1,856

-54.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

-77.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$11.4K CHF 9,245

-85.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.46

344.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brissago: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,599 in Brissago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $125 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $587 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,641 in Medellin, $3,439 in Brissago – roughly 110% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $5,158 in Brissago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $125 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Brissago at $3,439. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Medellin to $3,439 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.